Moscow would like the current negotiating formats on Syria to work more effectively. Countries resuming dialogue with Syria could have a basis for participation in the settlement process, Russian presidential press secretary Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Tuesday.
"The current formats are working, but of course I would like to see their efficiency, effectiveness improve," the Kremlin representative said. He acknowledged that "things with the Constitutional Committee are very difficult." "But we still need to keep working on it, because we see no alternative," Peskov stressed.
At the same time, he stated that "Russia, of course, consistently advocates that Arab states, Western states gradually move away from their policy of isolating Syria and, on the contrary, resume dialogue with Syria." "The more states resume direct dialogue with the Syrian Arab Republic, the more reasons they will have to actively participate in the settlement process," the Kremlin spokesperson believes.
UN Secretary-General's Special Envoy for Syria Geir Pedersen said on Monday that the new negotiating format on Syria should include Russia, the United States, Iran, Turkey, the EU, and Arab countries.
Interaction between Russia and Turkey
Disagreements between Moscow and Ankara over the Syrian settlement remain despite the ongoing interaction between the Russian and Turkish military in Syria, Peskov said, commenting on Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's call for the West to support Turkish efforts on the Syrian settlement.
The Kremlin representative recalled the close cooperation of the Russian military with their Turkish counterparts in Syria on the basis of agreements reached by the leaders of the two countries. "The situation in the areas where interaction is taking place remains very difficult. Terrorist elements continue to remain there, which hinders normalization, nevertheless, interaction continues," Peskov noted.
"There are also disagreements on Syria," the Kremlin spokesperson continued. In particular, he said, Moscow considers Bashar al-Assad the legitimate leader of the Syrian state.
"We are making considerable efforts to give impetus to the work on [the preparation of] the Syrian constitution and in general to advance the Syrian settlement along the political track," the Russian presidential spokesperson concluded.
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
Photo: Mikhail Metzel / TASS
Based on materials from TASS